Heavens to Murgatroyd, sometimes I do, especially after a late night of reality television. (Or, like last night, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. It was the episode in Croatia! He was drunk almost the entire time!)

One little trick I do to look more awake is what I call, “checking my lift,” and depending on my sleeping patterns on any given week, I may or may not employ it every single day.

First things first: it’s easy. Which is good when you’re already tired.

First, I apply my eye makeup, and then dot a few dots of concealer beneath my eyes.

Then, I take my concealer brush (here I’m using the MAC 224), and use it like a straightedge or ruler, placing one end at the corer of my lip and the other at the corner of the eye on the same side of my face.

Make a mental note of the brush’s position because we’re going to use it as a guide…

Next, I buff those dots of concealer into my skin, and then run the brush along the invisible line from the previous step.

The slightly angled edge at the corner of your shadow creates the illusion of a slightly lifted, elevated (and wider awake) eye!

There’s also a turbo boost for this tip… To enhance the effect, I’ll powder the concealer into place right then and there. To diminish the effect, like when I don’t want the line to look quite as harsh, I’ll add some bronzer and blush to tone it down a little.

It really depends on 1) how tired I look (and consequently how much help I need) and 2) how lazy I feel.

It’s good to see you back for another session of Share a Tip Tuesdays! My pout proffers a million thanks for the lip product recommendations you left in the comments on last week’s installment. Here are/were just a few of the fab finds and tips you offered…

If you curl your lashes often (& curl them after mascara application) take a paper towel to clean up the black goo, so you have a clean go for next time. If you have a lip color that you love but fear itâ€™s too bold you can always sheer it out with balm. I use Macâ€™s lip conditioner on lips first, and an example is Mac hang up lipstick on top, really sheer. I love the color but I canâ€™t possibly wear that to work, so in the end I get a strawberry stain. Itâ€™s autumnal and quite pretty-
–SAVANNAH

I donâ€™t usually buy drugstore lip products, but I repeatedly go back to my favourite pinkish-purpley-mauve lipstick from Rimmel called â€œVintage Pinkâ€. I absolutely love it. Itâ€™s got a creamy, opaque finish, none of that annoying drugstore shimmer, and itâ€™s a unique color without screaming â€œlook at me!â€ love it.
–RAVEN

Best high performance drugstore lippie in my bathroom is Cover Girl Lip Perfection in Delish. Itâ€™s a great warm peachy nude shade and if you prime and line your lips, it looks just as good as my $60 Cle de Peau lipstick. Add a little nude gloss and it will stay put for 3-4 hours before you need to touch up.
–MKDALLAS

Itâ€™s not a secret, but not very many people seem to do it: when you have a very bright color youâ€™re afraid to wear or want to tone down, apply it with your finger. Itâ€™s gonna look like a sheer stain on you lips, a lot more natural than the full version, so you can experiment with bold colors. Just rub the lipstick on your finger, and then gently tap your lips. Even out the color by swiping your finger a few times.
–LULLE

Those Wet n Wild matte lipsticks are gorgeous, feel luxurious on the lips and have color that cant be beat.
–NINA

Hmm…not sure if this is a tip exactly, but as someone with acne prone skin and thus needing a fair bit of coverage, a MAC artist once told me to ditch all the concealers, etc.. and just carefully layer my foundation to get the coverage I needed. She said that cakey, too-much-make-up look came from laying products that had different formulas and thus didnâ€™t mesh well, where as layering one product over and over would look smoother in the end. So far, so good!
–SANI

Serdecznie dziÄ™kujÄ™!

This week, the floor is yours. Any makeup/beauty tips are welcome, but here are a few broad brushstrokes to get the conversation started…

What are the best budget hair products?

Fair-skinned felines, what are your go-to colors for eyes, lips and cheeks?

Darker damsels, what are some products and colors you can’t live without?

What’s one high-end product every makeup fanatic needs to try at least once?

What’s your secret to lush lashes?

Leave your tips/tricks/suggestions here in the comments, or tweet ’em to me on Twitter @karenmbb using the hashtag #shareatiptuesday.

WHAT ARE THE BEST BUDGET HAIR PRODUCTS?
I’m obsessed with the L’Oreal Vive Pro Glossy Volume Shampoo and Conditioner – gives my fine hair a bit of shine without weighing it down, smells clean but not overly perfume-y, and is economical.

FAIR-SKINNED FELINES, WHAT ARE YOUR GO-TO COLORS FOR EYES, LIPS AND CHEEKS?
My everyday lip favorite is the Nars Velvet Matte lip pencil in Dolce Vita – this might be dark on other fair-skinned ladies, but my lips are naturally quite rosy and pigmented, so this is perfect. I still haven’t found my perfect blush, I own many of them – I love a discontinued Revlon Cream Blush in Rosy Nude, and if I’m going for pink, I have Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink. I’m looking for a good powder blush. My eyes are blue, and I’m ginger, I usually go for taupes, browns, nudes, golds, copper, etc. Brown eyeliner (either L’Oreal Lineur Intense liquid liner or Maybelline gel liner) usually, sometimes plum (L’Oreal HIP cream liner or Maybelline gel liner). Mascara, I can wear black or brown, love plum mascaras too.

WHATâ€™S ONE HIGH-END PRODUCT EVERY MAKEUP FANATIC NEEDS TO TRY AT LEAST ONCE?
Go get matched for a higher-end foundation!

WHATâ€™S YOUR SECRET TO LUSH LASHES?
Curl in steps going up your lashes! Curl at the base, then tilt your curler and move up the lash a couple times.

Karen, I posted my responses as a post on my own blog (because I was stuck for a content idea and also because I got kind of long-winded). I hope that’s okay! If not, let me know and I’ll take it down right away.Allyson recently posted … Share a Tip Tuesday: Dry Shampoo, Lush Lashes, and more

WHAT ARE THE BEST BUDGET HAIR PRODUCTS? I use the John Frieda Full Repair line, plus coconut oil and argon oil (I’ve used One ‘N Only & Rusk DeepShine Oil) mind you I have thin strands but a lot of hair that’s super curly (hello Afro) & I color/blow dry frequently so those products work best on my head.
DARKER DAMSELS, WHAT ARE SOME PRODUCTS AND COLORS YOU CANâ€™T LIVE WITHOUT? Golds (Charlotte Ronson – Nicole Quad eye shadow has the best gold I’ve used), bronzes (Maybelline Color Tattoos – bad to the bronze), purples (especially vibrant shadows or liners), blue (Jordana makes an awesome light aqua blue eyeliner) and red lipstick – I have NYX Snow White, the Wet ‘N Wild matte lipsticks in the hot pink, red and nude as well as one from Maybelline & Givenchy. And I adore Maybelline Baby Lips.
WHATâ€™S ONE HIGH-END PRODUCT EVERY MAKEUP FANATIC NEEDS TO TRY AT LEAST ONCE? No idea. I’m on a college budget LOL
WHATâ€™S YOUR SECRET TO LUSH LASHES? I guess my secret would be to layer the mascaras. I put on one that’s used for length first followed immediately by one that does thickening. But since my lashes are pretty long on their own, I can’t recommend a lengthening mascara. I can tell you my favorite is the Maybelline GreatLash with the heart on the packaging & the brush looks like a heart. It’s got the consistency I’ve found I like with my mascaras – thin but not runny. It spreads really easily on my lashes and separates them nicely.

FAIR-SKINNED FELINES, WHAT ARE YOUR GO-TO COLORS FOR EYES, LIPS AND CHEEKS?
For my eyes, I love to use sheer washes of white or beige shades. For lips, I love pink-corals, coral-tinted rose colors and coral-reds. (Can you tell I like coral? :P) For cheeks, I’m not sure since I’m not much of a blush person. I usually use a golden highlighter, but sometimes I use pale, sheer peachy-pink shades to give my face a little color.

I love Tuesdays for this reason! I learn so much every week – Thanks Karen!

I am just starting to get really into makeup (I’m a nail polish girl!) but I love learning everything that is suggested here and I always have new things to try throughout the week!Emily recently posted … Breast Cancer Ribbon Nail Art

3.Darker damsels, what are some products and colors you canâ€™t live without?

There’s a makeup brand called Valana Minerals that carries a broad range of mineral foundation shades for medium to darker toned skin types. What’s really awesome about them is that they offer $2 samples that have a decent amount of product since a little goes a long way with this stuff. I’m personally kind of over the whole mineral makeup wave but I love how natural this stuff looks on me. I like to pair it with a tinted moisturizer.

1.) I absolutely love the Loreal Ever Pure Smooth shampoo and conditioner. I never used to use drugstore shampoo and cond and thought only expensive salon products would work on my fine but thick hair. It not only leaves my hair soft and manageable, but doesn’t weigh it down either.
2.)I am pretty fair skinned, and my go to’s are UD Naked 2 palette, Sonia Kashuk’s Eye On Dazzling palette– perfect shimmer and glitter eye-shadows in light medium and dark colors (12 total) for only $19.99! I have never used-up a lipstick before, but over the summer I used (and just replaced) my favorite lip color of all time: Loreal Color Riche “Balm” in 518- Tender Mauve. It is the perfect nude color without looking washed out as it give a hint of a nude/mauve color (dont let the cap color fool you, it’s a lot lighter than it looks).
4.) The one high end product every MU lover need to try has to be Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream. I receive it as a sample once from Sephora and it was a dream come true! My concealer applied like an absolute dream and my under eyes looked more radiant and hydrated, and all around better. The $95 price to get a full size shook me back to reality fast. I will be getting it with my annual Sephora Christmas gift card though!
5.) My best and most favorite lush lash tip is acquired by using drug store mascara. I first curl my eyelashes- one at a time right before mascara- then do at least 2 coats of a volumizing mascara (Loreal 24h Power volume is my go to right now, and I have replaced it 3 times even after trying new products), after that dries I apply 2+ coats of Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama on the tip of lashes only. I wait about a minute between coats because it builds better when dry. Every time I do this combo, someone (especially strangers) want to know what brand of false lashes I am using! My bare lashed are medium length and there are not a lot of them, so to go from that to “false-looking” eyelashes is amazing! I need to stress that you HAVE to use a volumizing mascara first then the Falsies ONLY on the tips, or you will end up with spider lashes!

1.What are the best budget hair products? I am currently OBSESSED with pantene pro v silky moisture whip!whether i’m air drying or blow drying it leaves my hair beautiful soft and shiny! (no weighing down or oily feeling either) its just amazing!

3.Darker damsels, what are some products and colors you canâ€™t live without? matte bronzer (nyx in light), anything earth tone. love MAC blush in melba!

4.Whatâ€™s one high-end product every makeup fanatic needs to try at least once? tarte brow mousse! lasts all day, natural looking brows I’ve gotten countless compliments on and did I mention its easy to apply?

5.Whatâ€™s your secret to lush lashes? I apply a coat of mascara over the top (birds eye view) of my lashes then a second coat regularly (swiping underneath) my top lashes and BAM! luscious lashes!

Remove mascara with an oil based make up remover (I just use baby oil!) and wipe off with warm water on a cotton bud as it just melts the mascara and liner off the lashes! Also, rub a bit of vaseline onto your lashes before going to bed and I could swear it makes them grow longer and makes them LUSHIOUS!

Loving the blog by the way, I’m crawling through the archives at the moment, haha! Send my love to Tabs

As a fair skinned feline my go to colours for eyes, lips, and cheeks aren’t necessarily restricted by my skin tone. With the right techniques and a light hand porcelain princesses can rock almost any look. I love experimenting with colour and finding ways to make them work!

4.Whatâ€™s one high-end product every makeup fanatic needs to try at least once?

It’s not crazy expensive or high-end, but every makeup fanatic needs to try a heated eyelash curler. You can use it AFTER applying mascara, which is a total life-saver. I also personally think it’s a lot easier to use than a traditional eyelash curler.

Darker damsels, what are some products and colors you canâ€™t live without?

Cover FX! Their cream foundation is incredible for a range of skin tones.

Whatâ€™s one high-end product every makeup fanatic needs to try at least once?

Diorshow Mascara – both the original and Blackout versions are incredible (and incredibly pricy!) If you’re more into lips than eyes, the YSL Vernis a Levres glossy stains are amazing. So much cool technology went into their production!

4-I think everyone should get matched for and treat themselves to a high end foundation. I did that and it made me feel so good about myself. My skin looked even, and bright! I felt like I didn’t need to apply anything else on my face.

WHAT ARE THE BEST BUDGET HAIR PRODUCTS?
~I love anything by Garnier Fructis. Their dyes are very conditioning and last almost the full 8 weeks before needing to touch up. I also love their leave-in conditioners and oils. My new favorite leave-in from them is the Fall Fight leave-in conditioner. It is supposed to protect hair from breakage and falling out and help stimulate hair growth at the scalp using caffeine. I don’t splurge on hair products often as I’ve found that many of the drugstore brands get the job done. A great hairspray is Aussie Sun Touched shine – it has pretty good hold and doesn’t flake.

FAIR-SKINNED FELINES, WHAT ARE YOUR GO-TO COLORS FOR EYES, LIPS AND CHEEKS?
~I’m between fair and olive/bronze being half southern Italian and half Irish/German. I have hazel green eyes and most colors work well, but my favorite eyeshadow colors to enhance my eye color are usually purples and greens. For cheeks I’m in love with Rimmel Lasting Finish blush in Autumn Catwalk – it is the drugstore version of Nars Orgasm, I swear!

DARKER DAMSELS, WHAT ARE SOME PRODUCTS AND COLORS YOU CANâ€™T LIVE WITHOUT?
~When I’m Southern Italian Bronze, my Physician’s Formula bronzers are my foundation. They really do add a nice glow! Smokey eyes also tend to look better with more bronze in my skin.

WHATâ€™S ONE HIGH-END PRODUCT EVERY MAKEUP FANATIC NEEDS TO TRY AT LEAST ONCE?
~I don’t buy high-end much – I would say Nars is probably the most I’ve paid for a blush or multi-function product. Nars Orgasm has won awards every year in Allure magazine for the Best of Beauty – I would say it’s worth a try, definitely. I would also say that UD’s Bourbon is a good eyeliner to plunk down 18 bucks on – it has been a great neutral for me for bright eye looks and neutral eye looks, and it’s now my go-to eyeliner for anything where I have to dress professional.

WHATâ€™S YOUR SECRET TO LUSH LASHES?
~I have thick lashes already (they are just brown, so if I want to complete an eye look I do have to use mascara), but if I want them to look like fakes, 3 coats of a good volumizing mascara will do it. My running favorite was DiorShow Blackout, but since the price has increased I do not buy that one anymore. Rimmel Scandal Eyes has been the drugstore DiorShow dupe, and one coat actually is plenty with that particular mascara. 3 coats and it looks like I applied fakes. I also use L’Oreal Double Extend (the one with black at one end and copper at the other), Cover Girl Lash Blast 24 Hr, and Maybelline Lash Stiletto. The Rimmel one and the Lash Blast are probably the best for getting the “falsie” effect; the Double Extend and Lash Stiletto are great for lengthening and a more natural look.

3. I am as pale as porcelain so I have no expertise on this. Though I would say bold red lipstick in a blue undertone never fails to impress on anybody and darker skinned girls I see around rock it like nobody’s business!

4. Ohhh this is a tough one. I haven’t tried much above the mid end in terms of expense. It’s between Laura Mercier eyeliner, Kevyn Aucoin Mascara, and Bobbi Brown…Anything! lol

5. Thank god I got my dad’s lashes! mine are already very thick and long so part of my secret is genetic (in the interest of full disclosure 😉 ). But I curl my lashes and use Kevyn Aucoin the Curling Mascara everyday and using a little bit of soft white eyeliner on the inner corner top and bottom. It makes under my eyes seem lighter so my lower lashes look longer due to contrast!

I’m really fair so my eye area is always really pink. I use UD’s eyeshadow primer in Eden even if I’m not wearing eyeshadow because it corrects all of the discoloration and blends into my skin tone. Also it’s a pretty good primer 😀

1. WHAT ARE THE BEST BUDGET HAIR PRODUCTS? I love love love Suave Dry Shampoo (in the silver can with the yellow lid). So cheap, and it absorbs oil like nobody’s business. As far as shampoo/conditioner, though, nothing “budget” leaves my hair actually feeling clean and conditioned, so I will continue to stick by my beloved Aveda.

2. FAIR-SKINNED FELINES, WHAT ARE YOUR GO-TO COLORS FOR EYES, LIPS AND CHEEKS? For eyes, I love neutrals–UD Naked and Naked2. For cheeks, I always gravitate to bright pinks–think Benetint, etc. It looks the most natural, like a real flush. For lips, if I’m wearing more than plain lip balm, it’s usually just light pink.

4. WHATâ€™S ONE HIGH-END PRODUCT EVERY MAKEUP FANATIC NEEDS TO TRY AT LEAST ONCE? I like higher end eyeshadows. Urban Decay.

5. WHATâ€™S YOUR SECRET TO LUSH LASHES? As another reader said, the secret is genetics. One time I asked my sister what mascara she was wearing because her lashes were beautiful. She told me she wasn’t wearing any.

I think everyone needs to try a high-end mascara sometime… The first time I tried Dior Show I swear I heard a chorus of angels singing songs of joy about my lashes.

Also, the tips of my eyebrows are quite sparse, and filling them in with my regular taupe eyebrow pencil looks a bit drawn in. What I do is after I line my eyes with black gel liner and an angled liner brush, I dab my brush to get rid of any super dark residue and then use the faint amount of product left to feather in “hairs” in that area. I dunno, just makes them look more real and less drawn in.

DARKER DAMSELS, WHAT ARE SOME PRODUCTS AND COLORS YOU CANâ€™T LIVE WITHOUT?
I’m Nars tahoe/ nc45. I love coral and fuchsia lip and cheek stuff. I also love Nars shadow duos e.g. Brumes is current go-to product. I think what it boils down to is: I love Nars
WHATâ€™S ONE HIGH-END PRODUCT EVERY MAKEUP FANATIC NEEDS TO TRY AT LEAST ONCE?
High end foundation rocks.
WHATâ€™S YOUR SECRET TO LUSH LASHES?
I leave mine bare most of the time and add virgin coconut il along lash lines nightly.

For Lush Lashes (and I am sure someone has already mentioned this) but as I apply, I start right at the root of the lashes and as I slooooooowly pull the brush up through my lashed to the tops, I wiggle back and forth gently. It combs through and really coats the lashes. I also always do one final coat just as the very tip to make them look extra long.

Freeman 3 Minute Hair Conditioner/Mask! Its like 3 bucks at the grocery store (can be found online too). It detangles EVERYTHING! Seriously, I get crazy tangles because lint always get caught in my long hair. It smells awesome like mangos and other tropical shenanigans. Its also crazy moisturizing! Seriously, this stuff is the best.

The best budget hair product is Bed Head’s After-Party. It’s the only hair product I regularly use other than shampoo and conditioner. It’s under $20 (it’s a deal because the bottle lasts forever), comes in ridiculously-awesome pink packaging, leaves a lovely, light smell, and makes your dry, frizzy hair feel and look so touchable.

WHAT ARE THE BEST BUDGET HAIR PRODUCTS?
– Coconut Oil!!!!!! I have thick, dry hair and this stuff is amazing. Mix with a little EVOO and put in your hair root to tip, leave in for 30 mins, wash out. BAM super soft shiny hair!

FAIR-SKINNED FELINES, WHAT ARE YOUR GO-TO COLORS FOR EYES, LIPS AND CHEEKS?
– i love taupe, gold, and i have a mac copper-ish color that makes my eyes look super blue.

WHATâ€™S ONE HIGH-END PRODUCT EVERY MAKEUP FANATIC NEEDS TO TRY AT LEAST ONCE?
– personally i would love to try the beauty blender and the clarisonic brush!

WHATâ€™S YOUR SECRET TO LUSH LASHES?
– Coconut oil on my lashes and lash line at night, and one coat great lash, 2 coats of l’oreal million lashes. im not a fake lash girl.

I’m dark skinned, and I love using bronzer as a brow highlight. It helps me make dents in the huge bronzer pans (it’s almost impossible to finish a bronzer) and it also subtly highlights my brow without making them too obvious.

WHAT ARE THE BEST BUDGET HAIR PRODUCTS? I would have to say Aphogee Deep Moisture Shampoo and the One n Only Restorative Mask, it’s like an instant pick me up

DARKER DAMSELS, WHAT ARE SOME PRODUCTS AND COLORS YOU CANâ€™T LIVE WITHOUT? Orange blushes make my skin glow, I really like Estee Lauder Pure Color Blush in Naughty, berry colored blushes for fall and berry/ dark red lips… I love Hourglass Femme Rouge in Icon, its a gorgeous dark red.

WHATâ€™S YOUR SECRET TO LUSH LASHES? I don’t wear falsies so I use Revitalash at night, I also like mascaras with more that one benefits, e.g. volumizing and lengthening mascaras and i’m loving Givenchy Noir Couture mascara.Michelle recently posted … Get The Look ~ Blue Liner & Red Pout

1. What are the best budget hair products?
Here in the UK you can get the Naked brand, which offers shampoos, conditioners, masks, styling products, etc, all without sulfates or parabens. So if you do anything to your hair like a keratin or a brazilian blow dry, these are actually affordable! And they swell divine.

I would say… the Suqqu brushes which are so SOFT. I wish I could afford more than the tiny one. Alternatively, a good face primer (like Hourglass Mineral Primer) and a pretty setting powder (like Guerlain meteorites) because they are good and beautiful products.

5. Whatâ€™s your secret to lush lashes?
A good three coats of YSL Shocking.

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